Beat the Holiday Bulge! The 9 Best Exercises of All Time

The holidays bring many wonderful things -- good cheer, delicious food,
gatherings with friends and family. Alas, along with all the
merriment often comes an uninvited guest: holiday weight gain. With this in mind, the
American Council on Exercise (ACE) compiled a list of the best moves to
target problem areas and keep your body lean and fit during the season of indulgence.

Though you may have a particular body part in mind right now, ACE pooh-poohs the idea of “spot reduction” — they say it’s based on the flawed notion that it’s possible to burn fat from one area of your body at a time, which, unfortunately, it is not (so much for those fantasies of shrinking your thighs and adding the leftover volume to your bust!).

However! Though the best way to think about staying fit any time of year is to go for a total-body approach, focusing on cardio and overall strength, it is indeed possible to sculpt your physique by paying additional attention to a few key areas many of us consider to be “problem” body spots:

Your Butt! (or, in polite company, your “glutes”): ACE says research has pinpointed exercises that strengthen and develop the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius, the two main muscles that make up what you may refer to as your butt, rear, or, yes, trunk.

1. Quadruped Bent-Knee Hip Extension – Say what? It sounds more complicated than it is, and, awesomely, it can be done anywhere with no equipment. On your hands and knees, keep a straight, strong back and lift and extend one leg at a time, moving only at the hip and using your glutes to press your lifted foot up to the ceiling. ACE has complete instructions here.

Your Abs — aka, Your Core: ACE says many common gym exercises intended to target the tummy (like bicycle crunches and stability ball crunches), while engaging two of the the main muscles that make up what you think of as your “core” (your rectus abdominis and your obliques), place too much pressure on your spine. Doing the following exercises is a better approach to a flat tummy and a stable, strong lower back:

2. Side Plank – A variation on the above (instead of starting on your stomach, you start and lift up on one side), this move works core muscles and helps build stability in your spine. SELF explains the move here.

Your Upper Arms: Want toned upper arms like Michelle Obama? ACE says the best way to reduce “jiggle” is to strengthen your triceps (the muscles located in the backs of your upper arms).

1. Triangle Push Up – A variation of the traditional push-up, the triangle push-up involves placing your thumbs and forefingers together with your hands directly underneath your chest, so someone looking at you head-on would see your head and elbows forming a triangle. If you’re new to push-ups, you can do them with knees on the floor until you build up your strength. ACE has instructions here.

2. Dips - These can be done in the gym using dip bars or a weight bench, or at home using a sturdy chair, which you sit on. Begin by placing your hands on either side of your hips then, with with your feet together, extend your legs out in front of you. Carefully move your buttocks off the bench, while leaving your hands in place, and lower your hips toward the floor until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then push back up using your hands (not your legs). ACE has detailed instructions here.

3. Triceps Kickback – You can use dumbbells or even large cans of food for this exercise, which involves lifting weights behind your back. Check out SELF’s detailed instructions here. As with all of these exercises, proper form with the triceps kickback is so important to avoid injury. For detailed instructions on this and all of the above exercises, visit ACEfitness.org.